ePKI Lite: Software as a Service PKI solution

GlobalSign launched Enterprise PKI Lite, a Software as a Service (SaaS) PKI solution that allows small to medium sized enterprises to issue Digital Certificates to as few as 5 users. Issued Certificates can be used for online authentication, email security and the creation of trusted electronic documents.

Enterprise PKI Lite replaces the need for enterprises to build their own CA, which are costly and technically complex combinations of software, hardware and cryptographic key management, or rely on more expensive hosted PKI solutions from other providers.

ePKI Lite is available as an instant activation module for GlobalSign’s Certificate Center (GCC), a web based SaaS platform for one-stop-shop management of all types of Digital Certificate – SSL, Code Signing, Client Certificates and Adobe Certified Document Services Digital IDs.

By plugging into the GlobalSign infrastructure enterprises do not need to create their own Certificate Authority (CA), embed Root Certificates in browsers and devices or maintain their own required accreditations and compliancy programs (such as WebTrust for CAs). As internal PKI deployments can run into £millions, ePKI offers dramatically lower costs per user and due to the licensing model of pay-per-user, avoids the risk of project overspend.

Enterprises go through a one-time vetting to establish their Certificate “profiles” (the one or more company-wide or departmental digital identity to be used in their issued Certificates). Once vetted, the ePKI Administrators can begin issuing Certificates to users – typically staff or extranet users.

Applications for Certificates can be made by users themselves through GlobalSign hosted portals, or by Administrator initiated requests directly to the user – all managed via the GCC web based interface. This approach allows quick deployments rather than the usual weeks or months of pre-configuration required of alternative solutions. And once deployed, Administrators have the ability to issue Certificates immediately around the clock, every day of the year.